Getting Ready For Work…

Sorry for not blogging about my job training yesterday. I got home and I was just too tired to function. Not a great sign, really, when I was only out for an hour or so and today I’ve got an eight-hour shift to get through. Hmm.

Anyway, you’ll be glad to hear that the training session went well. I turned up, signed my documents, got my uniform and learned my assignment. Very straightforward, and I’m comfortable with what I have to do.

So, what do I have to do?

Essentially my job is to guard a road block (while trying not to freeze to death). I’m there to stop people pulling up, moving the cones and driving through. Nobody is allowed past except for emergency vehicles, the people who hired us, and the Royal Mail vans (but that’s just my road). Everyone else is given a polite ‘sorry, but you can’t come this way.’ It’s not overly challenging, but I’m happy to do it.

Fortunately, I’m not on a road that I think will cause a great deal of difficulties. I expect there will be some people who will try to get down the slip road to my old college, but I think there would be a lot more encountered if I were guarding a main road. As we’re in high vis jackets (you’ll see shortly) we’re bound to be asked questions about the Lumiere festival, but again, my job is easy as I’m right next to the entrance. All I have to do is point to some stairs. So hopefully it’ll all go well.

My only worry at the moment is my partner. As we’re going to be there for eight hours, it would be nice if it was someone that I can have a conversation with. I’m sure coordinating our breaks will be easy enough no matter who it is (someone always has to be on point), but I want someone to help me pass the time. Most of the other guys have met who they’ll be with (no guarantee they’ll get along, but it helps), but I was one of the unfortunate ones who received my instructions solo. I was told beforehand I’d be with a girl my age, but she didn’t turn up…so I’ve got no idea who it’ll be. Maybe her, maybe someone else. Ideally someone with a car who likes football. That’d be nice.

Okay…my uniform. I took pictures last night when I got home.

…I’d appreciate it if you didn’t laugh.

The least blurry picture had to be the one with the awkward pose and facial expression, didn’t it?

I’ve got my hat, gloves and heat warming things…I’m confident I’ll be warm even at midnight.

How I’ll look at midnight. Boom, game face.

…yeah. Not my favourite attire, but at least I won’t get run over. And it gives me some authority, which is nice.

Yeah…right.

Uh, is that the time? I should probably go and prepare myself. I’ll do my best to blog, either when I get home tonight (if I’m not too tired) or tomorrow morning, but no guarantees. My laptop is playing up, and I’m going to have to call the repair people…*sigh* Not looking forward to that. But if I’m conscious and my laptop doesn’t explode, I’ll let you know how my first day went.

Speak to you soon,

Alex

Lumiere Festival, Pantomimes And Under The Dome (The Finale!)

Very good news, good news and something of a disappointment; that’s how I’d describe the things in my title. But that’s pretty vague, so allow me to give you the details.

Lumiere Durham

Well, looks like I managed to spell ‘Lumiere’ right first time, which I feel is something of an achievement, albeit a very small one (but hey, they all count!).

Anyway, Lumiere Durham is a very popular lights festival that transforms Durham city centre into a magical light display for, uh, art and celebration (I’ve linked you to the official website if you want more information). It’s a four-day event, from the 14th to the 17th of November, and I’m going to be working there (woo!), telling people where to go, and generally trying to keep order. It isn’t a long-term job (obviously) but it’ll bring in a bit of money and get me outside for a few days (working from 2pm to 12am, so it’s going to be cold…good thing I’ve got my new winter coat!), which I feel is important as I’m suffering from that enjoyable condition known as writer’s block (urgh). And I should get to see the lights in their full glory, so that’s a bonus.

I’ve got my training tomorrow and then I’ll be good to go. Exercise, fresh air, money…yeah I’m excited. I’m not sure if I’ll be able to blog, but I’ll let you know how it goes (when I can).

Vanna’s First Pantomime

As pantomimes (wikipedia does the job so I don’t have to) are not really an American thing, this Christmas represents Vanna’s last chance to see one until…well, who knows? It’s going to be a couple of years at least before Vanna will be back in the UK, so I decided it was very important to put ‘seeing a pantomime’ on our To Do List.

Initially we were planning on just going to watch the pantomime at the Durham Gala, but my dad persuaded me against it. Though it would be nice to go to the evening show and then go home when it was all dark and everything felt Christmassy (you know what I mean? No? Just pretend), we should really plump for the full ‘experience’, and go to the Theatre Royal in Newcastle instead.

So yesterday I bought our tickets for a show on Thursday 9th January, at 2pm. It’s a bit more expensive than the Gala (twice the price in fact, but who can put a price on love? Ugh…) but I’m confident it’ll be worth it, especially as we have seats in the Grand Circle. Oh yeah. Second row as well, so we should have a good view (the seats are why we’re going in January; ideally we’d go before Christmas, but all the good seats are gone…you have to book fast when it comes to pantos).

I wanted to go in the evening, but as I didn’t want to sleep in the train station afterwards (good chance we’d miss the last train), the afternoon showing was more ideal. I’m told that the matinee is just as good though, and this way we’ll have time to explore Newcastle and have a meal after the show…so yeah, excited for this too. Hopefully Vanna will enjoy it, but who knows? It’s not going to be like anything else she’s ever see. BUT it’s another experience for us, and I’m sure she’ll get a good story out of it.

Under The Dome Finale…Why Bother?

Under The Dome had just started to win me over, it really had. Sure, it’s not as good as the book, and sure, the plots related to the dome were unbelievably stupid (the monarch will be crowned storyline was especially cheesy), but it was beginning to get good in other ways; there was suspense, drama and most importantly, I didn’t know how it was going to end (a feelingI wouldn’t have had if the show followed the book). So when it got to the finale, I was pretty excited to see what would happen.

*sigh*

Now, I know there is a second season next year so it wasn’t going to end perfectly…but it was awful. Such an anti climax. It was dumb, unconvincing, and didn’t really encourage me to watch the next season. I still will mind, because, well, I have to see what happens (and I’m a sadist). I think Sue (our control in the group as she hadn’t read the book before) enjoyed it more, but me and my dad weren’t keen at all. 3/10 for the episode (I gather it isn’t the only finale to disappoint recently either, so least UTD is good company), maybe a 6/10 for the season. But bleh. What a disappointment.

The rest of my news was good though, even if Stephen King’s decision-making wasn’t. So that’s something.

Alex